Above: Marvincito jokes around with Micah board member Chris Herbold during a Micah House dinner in June.Even as we continue to celebrate Wilmer's accomplishments (read yesterday's blogpost, below) we ask for your prayers for Marvincito (14) and Hector (13), both of whom left the Micah House and headed back to the streets this afternoon. For both of them, it is the fourth time that they have run away this year. For a deeper background on why this happens, read the blog I wrote about Marvincto here: http://micahcentral.blogspot.com/2009/04/coming-home.html.
It is devastating for us when the guys choose the path of destruction and darkness. We try to give them tons of examples of what can happen when they keep trusting God to move forward along the path that He has provided for them. Every one of our older guys is a living testament to that. We try to love them into a place of spiritual and emotional health. We try to provide rich and varied experiences on a daily basis so that they don't have time to dwell on their addiction.
Even so, the anxiety to consume drugs comes roaring back. Sometimes, certain things are triggers for the guys, such as seeing another street kid or smelling fumes from others solvents like yellow glue. But at other times, the triggers are deeper, more internal...urges from their past that creep back into their consciences and call them to go back to the streets and the glue. When these urges come on full force, it seems to alter the guys completely. No longer is Marvincito a happy and curious little boy who is fully engaged in all around him. He gets a different look in his eyes, a brooding and darkened one, and he wanders around as if he can't quite figure out how to settle himself down.
Marvincito has been ready to explode for a couple of days now, wandering around the house like a caged lion, picking fights with anyone near and getting in trouble in all of his activities. We tried all we could to intervene; long talks, encouragement, prayer, fun and engaging activity...but nothing seemed to settle him down. Today, he just couldn't take it any more and, instead of getting into the Micah van to head to soccer practice, he talked Hector into heading back to the streets.
Please pray for both of these little ones. And pray for wisdom for us as a staff as we decide how to re-encounter these lost sheep. In the past, we have gone after them immediately and talked them back into the house. As they spend more time with us, though, we feel that they need to begin to take more responsibility for their decisions (a tough call, though, since they will be so high on yellow glue for the next few days that decision-making becomes something of a moot point).
Pray for wisdom, love and safety for them as we make decisions in the days to come!
Muchas gracias,
Michael
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2 comments:
I will be praying...
Have you done healing of memories with them. Also exorcism, and deliverance prayers can be important.
You are correct. Each must be held responsible for their actions. I have been where you are myself and feel for you.
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